Rope Climb
by thelivinggirl
Summary: Just look at it as glimpses into the daily, Highschool AU lives of Feliciano and Ludwig. And also, yes, Ludwig can do calculus while being in unparalleled physical condition. You know you love it.
1. Rope Climb

Ludwig had been working studiously in the library, working out a long list of calculus problems on a sheet of notebook paper, when the library's phone rang shrilly through the quiet. As the librarian picked it up, he could hear her side of the conversation quite clearly. Really, as a librarian, shouldn't she be one of the _enforcers_ of quiet?

"Yes?" She said. "Of course, he's here… a situation? What kind of situation?... Oh really, at the very top?... Oh, the poor dear… I'll send him right down. Yes, goodbye."

Ludwig looked up as he heard her footsteps approach _him_, of all people.

"Ludwig, I'm afraid you'll have to go to the gym. Coach Harden needs your assistance…"

*~*~*~*~*~*

This was the scene Ludwig ran in on; an entire gym class, plus the gym teacher Coach Harden, staring up one of three climbing ropes, at the top of which… was a terrified Feliciano. Of course.

Sighing, he slowed to a jog and went up to the teacher. "Is this what you needed help with?"

"Oh good, Beilshmidt, you're here." Coach Harden clapped his shoulder. "Yep. The kid's stuck up there and won't come down. He's also spent the last half an hour crying your name, so we thought maybe you'd be able to get him down."

Ludwig stared up at the little brunet. "How'd you get him up there in the first place?"

Coach Harden cleared his throat guiltily. "I… may have told him there was spaghetti at the top… don't look at me like that! If he didn't do the rope climb, he wouldn't pass the course. I just told him what I had to in order to make sure he didn't have to repeat the class… again."

Ludwig opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a frightened voice whimpering, "Where's Ludwig? Ludwig, help!" Feliciano cried, tears streaming out of his tightly shut eyes with the side of his face pressed firmly against the rough rope. "It's so high up and I'm really, really scared and there's rope splinters in my hands and it _hurts_, Ludwig, all my muscles hurt so bad! Ludwig, where are you?!"

"I'm here, Feliciano!" Ludwig called, cupping his hands to his mouth.

"Ludwig?!" In his sudden excitement, Feliciano made the mistake of opening his eyes and trying to look down at the sleek blond head of hair. Dizzy from the height, Feliciano squeaked and slid down the rope a foot before stopping himself, body going taunt once again as he clung desperately to the rope. "AHHH! LUDWIG!"

"Calm down, Feliciano! Just hang on!" Turning to the teacher, he quietly asked, "I can see you have some mats on the floor… but how much good would they do against a fall from that height?"

"Enough to save his life… probably." Coach Harden confided. "There wasn't room in the budget for new mats. He might be lucky enough to get away with a broken ankle and concussion… but if he landed wrong, it could hurt his spine…" Even Coach Harden seemed genuinely concerned as he spoke.

"_Scheiße_" Ludwig swore under his breath.

Above him, Feliciano slipped a bit further down. "WAHHH! Ludwig, save me!!!"

That was the last straw. As Ludwig bent to take off his dress shoes, he informed the teacher, "I'm going up to get him. It will hold both of us, right?"

Coach Harden stared. "Well yeah, but are you sure you'll be able to do it?"

"It won't be a problem." Ludwig said, taking off his collared shirt, but leaving on his undershirt. "My father was a military man; I could do this one-handed."

At the base of the rope, he called up, "Feliciano, I'm coming to get you. Don't let go or fall while I'm climbing the rope." He instructed.

There was a whimpered, snuffled noise in response. He was going to take that as a 'yes, sir'.

(Okay, so maybe it went to his head a bit when he was in 'military mode'.)

The climb up the rope was relatively easy. When he neared the top, he changed direction slightly until he was right next to Feliciano. Up close, he could see the poor boy's red, tear-stained face, the way his entire body was trembling with exertion, and hear the small whimpering noises that were stifled in the back of his throat.

Feliciano was literally the _only_ person who could make Ludwig's eyes go gooey with adoration and concern.

Holding on with one hand, he reached out and clasped the back of Feliciano's neck. "Feli, look at me," he murmured. Feliciano opened his eyes, sobbing quietly in relief. "Feli, keep your eyes on me, okay? On the count of three, I'm going to grab you with this arm, and you're going to let go of the rope –" At this, the Italian boy whimpered and closed his eyes in distress, pressing his face harder against the rope. "No, Feliciano! _Liebling_, look at me." The boy opened his eyes again. "Good," Ludwig encouraged, "That's good. Now, on the count of three, I'm going to grab you, you're going to _let go of the rope_, and put your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist, okay? Just like you do when I show up at your house, right? Latch on to me, but _gently_. You understand?"

Feliciano nodded tearfully. "Okay then, you ready?" Ludwig braced himself. "One, two, _three!"_ He slid his forearm under where Feliciano's buttocks met his thighs and brought his body to his chest, just as Feliciano unwound himself from the rope and clung to Ludwig, wrapping himself as tightly as possible around the blond's torso. Ludwig kissed his temple in reassurance, blushing furiously at committing even this small display of public affection.

The trip down was much, much harder than the way up, due to only having one hand available in addition to Feliciano's (admittedly minimal) bulk, but he made it by half inching and half sliding down the rope. By the time he was at the bottom, he was definitely ready for one of those _siestas_ Feli was always talking about.

The entire class cheered as he touched down on the mats. "Feliciano," Ludwig nudged the boy, "You can get down now." There was no response. Leaning forward to displace the brunet's head from his in order to see his face, Ludwig realized that Feliciano had passed out. _Well, he was up there a very long time_, he mused.

Coach Harden made the class back off, while Ludwig carefully unhinged the Italian's limbs from around him and laid him on the mats, proclaiming, "Let the kid get some air." And, despite his protesting back, the blond knelt over his unconscious boyfriend, calling, "Come on, Feliciano, wake up" and shaking him gently.

"Uwah~ Ludwig…?"

"Yes, it's me."

"…I feel horrible, ve~…" _wow_, Ludwig thought, _even his 've' is listless._

"Well stand up and I'll take you to the nurse's office."

"Noooooooooooo…" Feliciano whined, "Just stay here with me… _siesta_…"

"Feli, I…" the German looked over at the class currently standing around them, looking at them like they were fascinating animals in the zoo. He could see it now; _Come one! Come all! Look at the emotionally awkward barely-out-of-the-closet German attempt to comfort his needy, hyper boyfriend!_ Thankfully, Coach Harden cleared his throat and dismissed all of them to the locker rooms. Before leaving to his office, he patted Ludwig on the shoulder with a, "Vargas, you passed. Good job, Beilshmidt."

When they were along, the last of Ludwig's propriety crumbled in the face of Feliciano. Groaning, he laid out on his back, letting Feliciano cuddle up against him. He could easily fall asleep like this…

"Hey Ludwig?"

"Mmph."

"... Coach promised me pasta."

"I'll get you pasta later, Feli."

"…Ludwig?"

"_Ja_?"

"Thank you for saving me. _Ti amo_."

"…_Ich liebe dich, libeling_."


	2. Study Date

Ludwig was trying to study. He really, really was. But for _some reason_, he couldn't concentrate.

"Ve~ Ludwigggggg~" His boyfriend whined.

Oh, yes. _That_ was the reason. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to renew his focus.

"Luuuuuudwiiiiiiiig~" The boy called again.

The German groaned and allowed his forehead to connect with the desk. "_Vas_, Feliciano?

"I don't understand this…"

Ludwig looked grumpily over at the brunet. "Maybe if you paid attention in class, you wouldn't be having such a difficult time."

"Ve~ But class is so boring. And you're sitting next to me, and you're paying enough attention for the two of us. Ludwig looks so _serious_ all the time! And Ludwig looking serious makes me think of Ludwig looking happy! Like when we went to the beach and you kissed me in the water! And then other times you kissed me… and did other things with me…" Feliciano looked up at him through his lashes. "And then I _can't_ pay attention, because I have a problem like this!" Out of nowhere, the petite Italian grabbed Ludwig's stunned hand and pressed it to his hardened crotch.

Ludwig yanked his hand back as if he was burned. "_Feliciano_! We are _in your kitchen!"_ He looked around, terrified that the Italian's grandfather would walk in the room, or worse, his _brother_.

"Ve~" Feli responded happily. "Nonno isn't home! And Romano's in detention~" The russet-haired boy smiled blithely and slid into Ludwig's lap.

The German groaned; how did he find this – the innocent smile, the verbal tick, the sheer lack of respect for boundaries – so damn _enticing_? He tentatively settled his hands on Feliciano's waist, but, as if they had a life of their own, they slid down to his hips, fingers splaying over the top of his rump. Feliciano giggled and lightly draped his arms around Ludwig's neck, sliding their awakening pelvises together.

Loosening up, Ludwig bent to kiss his boyfriend, something chaste that turned more passionate as Feliciano opened his mouth and drew in Ludwig's tongue. Only a few minutes into it, however, Feliciano hummed and pulled away. "Ve~ Ludwig is so much fun!" He then erupted in giggles and collapsed against Ludwig's chest, nuzzling the young Aryan man's neck.

Ludwig was at a loss. Now that he's well on the road to being fully hard, his boyfriend stops? It's then that Ludwig realizes just what Feliciano is; a tease. Perhaps unintentionally, but a tease none the less.

Thanks to his multitudes of dirty films, Ludwig knew just what to do with such a tease.

He swiftly stood, forcing Feli to cling to him to avoid falling, making the boy's member press tightly between their abdomens. Feliciano shuddered in Ludwig's arms, whining desperately in the blonde's ear as his arousal was suddenly ratcheted up a notch.

"L-Ludwig?" He stammered.

The German paused. He initially picked up Feliciano to go to the Italian's bedroom, but… they _always_ fooled around in his bedroom, because it was relatively safer there, with a locked door between them and Romano. But now that they were alone… Ludwig deposited the boy on the countertop and immediately attacked his mouth, a strong, pale hand massaging between the brunet's legs.

And oh, how Feliciano practically _writhed_ against him now, the tanned hands diving up his shirt to greedily grab at sculpted pecs and abs. Their mouths separated as Feliciano's head fell back, allowing Ludwig access to his neck, which he quickly took advantage of.

"Ludwig – Ludwig, wait…" The Italian protested weakly, and everything stopped. Ludwig's mouth and hands withdrew from the smaller body, his blue eyes wide and fearful that he did something wrong.

"Feli? Are you okay?" he asked quickly, worriedly.

Feliciano looked confused for a moment, but then his expression cleared and he laughed a little. "Ve~ I just… I just wanted you to… maybe take off your shirt?"

Ludwig blushed and laughed nervously. It wasn't as though they hadn't done this before, but their bodies were still so new to each other – practically new to themselves.

"Ja," Ludwig murmured, "Ja, okay." He took off his black t-shirt, blushing deeper at the way Feliciano stared.

"Ve… Ludwig's so strong." He reached out and lightly traced a finger from Ludwig's sternum to the rim of his pants, making the blond shudder. Looking to Feliciano to make sure it was okay, he also lifted the brunet's shirt off, fingers lightly brushing the warm, tanned skin. "Ludwig," Feliciano leaned up to Ludwig's ear. "Ludwig, I want to lie down with you. Let's go upstairs~"

Ludwig inwardly groaned at the implications of that statement and helped Feliciano off the counter, immediately grabbing his hand and pulling him up to the room – he may normally have been very businesslike and stoic, but he was still a teenager with hormones in charge. When they reached the bedroom, Feliciano plopped onto the bed, bouncing a little and shyly patting the space next to him where he wanted his boyfriend to sit.

Ludwig sat, and they laid down together, facing each other on their sides. Feliciano touched Ludwig's lips and said, "Ve… Ludwig looks so much nicer when he smiles!" Ludwig touched his own mouth as well his surprise, feeling the curve of his lips – he hadn't even been aware he was smiling, slight though it was.

Looking into Feliciano's bright face, he was amazed at how… _content_ he looked at all times, simply radiating joy and acceptance and love. It was that revelation that prompted Ludwig to wrap the Italian in his arms and whisper, "I really do love you, Feli." Those words had been said before, but rarely with such ease. He was rewarded with a beatific smile and said Italian's arms flung around his neck, profuse words of love falling from Feliciano's plump lips. Ludwig silenced him with a kiss and rolled them so Feliciano was fitted _perfectly_ beneath him.

The skin-on-skin contact of their torsos sent renewed waves of lust through their bodies as their mouths mated and their hands roamed. Feliciano's hands were particularly attentive to the strong, rippling musculature of the broad back above him, while Ludwig petted down Feliciano's sides and soft stomach. Soon enough, Ludwig was rhythmically grinding into the cradle of the brunet's hips while Feliciano whined and cried out beneath him in need.

Ludwig reached between them, one hand clumsily attempting to undo buttons and zippers until Feliciano gently moved his hand out of the way, painter's fingers doing it quickly and efficiently. Ludwig's rhythm faltered, not used to being rendered useless by _Feliciano_ of all people, but then his lover's fingers were entwined with his over their members and they were stroking together, grunting and scratching and biting and whining until Feliciano reached his peak, crying out as he spilled over. Ludwig moved faster against the panting boy until he also came shortly after. He collapsed half-on top of Feliciano, who mewled in something like _complete and utter satisfaction_ and cuddled closer.

Ludwig laid there contentedly for a few minutes, catching his breath, before making to stand. "Ve~ Ludwig, don't goooo!" Oh lord, the blond could _hear_ the pout in Feliciano's voice.

"Feliciano, we need to clean up before your family gets home." The only response he received was a whine, and two weak arms winding around his waist to prevent further movement. "Feliciano…" Ludwig said warningly, but then he made the mistake of looking at his boyfriend, seeing those caramel-colored puppy eyes, and softened.

Gently, he moved out of Feliciano's grasp and stood, but turned around and leaned down to give him a soft kiss. "You can stay here and nap; I'm going to go clean up a bit, alright?" Feliciano hummed, but conceded, already slipping into post-cotail sleep.

Ludwig traveled back to the kitchen and collected their shirts before going to the bathroom, diligently cleaning his hands and stomach. He wetted a paper towel and brought it back to the bedroom, cleaned off Feliciano, and wrestled the boy's shirt back over his sleeping head. Putting on his own shirt, he paused. He should really go back and study. And Romano would be home any time now…

Ludwig slipped onto the bed with Feliciano, closing his eyes. This bit of peace was worth even the worst of Romano's wrath.


	3. Math Woes

Ludwig stood outside of Feliciano's math class at 2:10, like he always did before walking him home.

Five minutes later, he still stood there.

Ten minutes. He checked his watch, making sure that it was right. Why was Feliciano taking so long? Though the Italian was normally late for everything, he always bolted out of Algebra and flung himself onto Ludwig, complaining about how tearfully boring the class was. So when Feliciano was still absent even at 2:25, Ludwig opened the door and looked inside.

"-understand you're upset about this, Feliciano, but you can't say you didn't see this coming…" The teacher was saying consolingly to Feliciano as she patted his shoulder while he shuddered and wailed into a tissue.

"Feliciano?" Mrs. Wilson heard Ludwig and looked up, relieved to see the tall blond.

"Oh good, Ludwig, you're here." As the school's most surprising Gay Couple, Ludwig and Feliciano's relationship was well known to just about everyone, including the staff. "Do you think you could help calm him down?"

Ludwig walked over to the Italian and put a hand on his head. "Feliciano…?" His boyfriend just sobbed his name and turned automatically to hide himself in Ludwig's arms, shirt immediately wetted through with tears and snot.

Ew.

"What's wrong with him?" Ludwig asked, rubbing Feliciano's arms consolingly. Mrs. Wilson shrugged helplessly.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you, no matter how close you two are…"

"Ludwig, Ludwig, she says I'm gonna fail maaaaaaaaaaath!" Feliciano wailed from his arms.

"Oh Feli…"

"It's true," the teacher said. "I guess he doesn't mind if you know… he hasn't passed a single quiz this semester, and his homework is either completely wrong, incomplete, or not turned in at all."

Ludwig looked down at his boyfriend. "What's wrong with you?" he mutters, sounding a little angry that Feliciano wasn't even _trying_. The Italian just clutched him tighter in response, whimpering.

"Even if he does well on the final, it isn't going to be enough to let him pass; he's going to have to take summer school if he doesn't want to repeat the course next year." She said. Feliciano's muffled wails only got louder, and Ludwig could feel a gigantic wet spot on his shirt growing to roughly the size of Feliciano's head.

Ludwig sighed. "I'm going to take him home now; it's going to be a while before this is out of his system."

"His bag is on the floor near the front."

Ludwig thanked her and retrieved it, awkwardly shuffling out the door with an Italian attached to his front.

"How could you allow yourself to fail math?"

Ludwig really, really wished that he had gone home for dinner, but Feliciano begged him to stay, thus resulting in him sitting uncomfortably next to Feli at the dinner table, and untouched plate of spaghetti in front of him, while Mr. Vargas and Romano yelled at the trembling boy.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Feliciano wailed, curl drooping pathetically.

"Sorry isn't good enough this time!" His grandfather said angrily, pacing next to the table. "You are Italian! Our people uphold culture in this world with culinary and fine arts, yes, but also math and science! I understand that the subject is difficult for you, but there is no reason for you to fail!"

"Yeah," Lovino sneered, "Everyone's going to think I have an idiotic, potato-bastard-loving brother who can't even pass Algebra! Chigi, you fucking moron!"

"I'm sorry! It's just so hard, I don't understand it!" Cried Feliciano, bursting into tears and diving once more into Ludwig's arms for comfort. The lone German blushed bright red, wishing more than anything that he wasn't in the middle of this argument.

Lovino fumed. "And there you go again, crying off to your stupid potato! That's probably the reason you failed, you're too busy sucking face with this bastard instead of studying!"

Ludwig frowned at that particular attack. "I manage to get nearly all A's while spending time with your brother, and I'm always doing work around him – trust me when I say that I encourage him to do his work with me."

"Was I talking to you? Chigi, shut the fuck up, you fucking bastard!"

Mr. Vargas waved his hand to silence his oldest grandson, and for a moment, the only sound in the room was Feliciano's hitched sobs. The elder Italian took a seat across from the couple. "Feliciano, you know that I'm very proud of you and your artwork, but you _need _to graduate high school – that is not up for debate. Now Ludwig, it's true that Feliciano does spend time with you when he should be studying. At the same time you do have quite the reputation for excellent grades." He stroked his stubble in thought. "How about this; whenever you aren't busy this summer, you tutor my grandson in Algebra. For every half-hour he attends tutoring, I'll allow him to spend an hour freely with you."

"Sir, I do have a job lined up for the summer…"

"And he'll be attending summer school, and studying on his own. I'm just saying, if you'd like to take him out come over to see him, he'll need to be tutored to earn that privilege."

Ludwig sighed. "Okay."

Mr. Vargas blinked in surprise. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to think about it? It is quite the responsibility."

"No thank you, sir, I'm fine."

Mr. Vargas stared at him for a moment before breaking into a smile, chuckling. "You're a good boy, Ludwig. I'm glad Feliciano picked you, out of anyone."

Romano grumbled in the background.

"Well, I suppose that there's no use punishing him for it now – spending his summer in school should do that for me. If you'd take him to his room, Ludwig? I won't enforce the tutoring requirement until summer school starts."

Ludwig nodded and helped the little Italian upstairs, where they lay on Feliciano's bed, the brunet exhausted from the time spent crying.

"Thank you, Ludwig."

"It's not a problem, Feli…"

"No, really." Feliciano rolled onto Ludwig, looking down at him. "You like me even though I'm stupid, and you're helping me, and you carry me around, and I love you so, so much, ve~"

Even though he was still irritated at Feliciano for being so dumb, for not coming to him sooner for help, a small smile made its way onto Ludwig's face. "I see that your tick is back," He said softly, brushing Feliciano's hair out of his face.

Feliciano smiled as well, gently kissing Ludwig before rolling off to the side once more, cuddling up to the large blond.

"I need to go home soon, Feli."

"Ve~ not yet, Luddy…"

Ludwig wrapped his arm around Feliciano, turning to kiss his hair. "No, not yet."

**Wow, I wrote that faster than I've written anything for a long while - I really like it, too. Sorry that my second installment was so uninspired; I hope this makes up for it.**

_**Reviews take less than 30 seconds to write, and make my entire day!**_


End file.
